Tag Archives: Elimination

With all the news coverage of the US government “shutdown” you would think the sky is falling. In truth about 85% of the US Federal government is still operating normally. I think we would do well to remember that private citizens are what keep everything going, and that government should serve our needs, not the other way around.

We still have to get up and go to work in the morning, pay our bills, take care of our families, and all the other things that life involves on a daily basis. So it goes with health as well. We are the stewards of our own health, and if we do not take care of ourselves, no “healthcare plan” whether private or government run will matter.

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Our health is in OUR hands. Always remember that, and you will go a long way towards making sure that you have the health to enjoy your life fully and for a long time! One of the most important aspects of health is how your colon (also called the gut) functions.

Since certain neurotransmitters are actually made in your intestinal tract, “gut health” can affect your emotions, and thinking as well as how you physically feel. So as you can see it’s vitally important to have it functioning optimally!

There are several things we need to get this right. One is the right type and amount of fiber, and the other is probiotic bacteria. Click on the links below to check out my web pages on these two topics.

Health of your stomach and colon is the key to overall health for several reasons. You need to absorb and assimilate your food for the nutrients your body needs. If your GI tract isn’t healthy, you can get needed nutrients from your foods.

The longer the “transit time” it takes for waste to exit the colon, the longer you are exposed to toxins that can create cancerous conditions in the body. Think about it, you wouldn’t keep your garbage in your kitchen for months, you would throw it out as soon as possible, because keeping it around is unsanitary.

The same can be said for eliminating waste from your body. It needs to happen every day, and be as complete as possible. An adequate amount of both soluble and insoluble fiber is essential to this process.

An example of insoluble fiber is Psyllium seed husks. These absorb water and provide a “bulking” effect to waste in the colon.

An example of soluble fiber is fruit like apples which also assist in elimination though stimulation of peristalsis (the process of moving the bowels). By the way, the bowels should be moved at least once per day if not more.

I have heard doctors tell their patients that this is not important. In the case of one gentleman I know, his doctor told him that a bowel movement every few days was “normal” for him. This is incredibly bad medical advice.

I have had good luck with just plain Psyllium husks in water, but of course your experience may be different. Whole grains like oat groats, quinoa, or ground flaxseeds can help provide the fiber that’s beneficial to the colon.

Another factor that’s important is the bacteria that is found in the colon. If it’s the normal beneficial bacteria then you will have normal bowel function, and neither be constipated or suffer from diarrhea.

You can get this beneficial bacteria either from probiotic supplements or dairy products like yogurt or kefir. Commercial yogurts and kefirs lose much of their benefit from pasteurization. While I think the dangers of unpasteurized products are overblown, I can’t advise you to consume them for reasons of liability.

It’s safest to use a probiotic supplement or fermented dairy products as your probiotic source. Those of you who get my newsletter know that I am an advocate of the blood type diet.

When you buy these fermented dairy products, look for ones that advertise that they contain “live cultures.” This indicates they will have sufficient bacteria to be of help to you. Avoid products that contain a lot of sugar, or artificial sweeteners for obvious reasons.

Look for a live-cultured plain yogurt, preferably made from goat milk or a pasture raised cow’s milk. For kefir, the same rules follow. Plain and unsweetened is best, and you can add some berries for natural sweetening to the yogurt or kefir.

Probiotic bacteria is specific to blood type and in the near future I will be delving int that with some specific recommendations. Let’s suffice it to say that for all intents and purposes, the right probiotic foods and supplements for your blood type will result in a normally functioning colon and regular bowel movements.

So if what you are doing results in normal function, then you pretty much have it right!

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Now I have something very cool to share with all of you…

Barbara Streisand is possibly the most talented performer that ever graced a stage in any time period. Yes I know that is quite an accolade, but I believe it is well earned.

There is a full concert by the incomparable Barbara Streisand on Youtube, and here is the link:

There’s no time like the present! I know you have heard that before, but until something really hits you you don’t fully understand the meaning of that phrase. I recently got word that a friend of mine who was 52 years of age died suddenly of a heart attack.

The was someone I had not seen for some years, but from the pictures I have seen he looked to be in good health and good spirits. He leaves behind a wife and daughter and many friends who are I am sure just as perplexed as I am by this turn of events.

Life is short, and sometimes unfairly short. It reminds us that we should not let time go by without doing the things we want to do, and making the most of the time we have. This applies in all areas of life, from your work, to your family and social life.

It is always the right time to make positive changes in your health and well being. There are many new tools available to help you, some of which I will be reviewing here.
However don’t be afraid to get out there and start, because you will never learn until you take the first steps. You have to make mistakes before you can correct them and learn from them.

Success if nothing more than a process of doing things, learning, and making corrections when needed. You continually refine the processes you use until you get to the point where you are producing consistent results time after time. Promoting good health is a series of corrections you make to your diet, exercise and approach to stress.

Eventually you will learn exactly what your body and mind need to be in optimal health. You can be moving toward better health even as you age, if you are willing to learn and apply what you learn in real time.

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Every weightlifter, bodybuilder, and powerlifter knows and understands the value of squats. The squat exercise is hundreds and perhaps even thousands of years old. Humans have been squatting both as exercise and as a functional movement pattern as long as there have been humans on the Earth.

The exercise is probably the single most effective for building strength and health. Why would this be? Well, it’s partly because the legs are the foundation of the body and of our overall body strength.

The other reason is that squats positively affect the autonomic nervous system, which is the part of our nervous system that is involved with digestion, elimination, rest, and regeneration. This is probably the reason they are such effective muscle builders.

But they have benefits for everyone young and old alike. I began doing squats when I was 14 years old and still continue to do them to this day! As a result, I can maintain a stable weight and flat stomach at age 58 with very little effort.

The muscle I have built using squats and other functional exercises allows me to easily keep excess weight off and maintain a foundation of strength without long or frequent workouts.

Hindu wrestlers in India did hundreds of squats a day which they called Hindu squats or “bethaks.” The tremendous conditioning effect of this exercise allowed the Hindu wrestlers to easily defeat the best wrestlers in Europe and the world over.

This video clip will show you how to do “freehand” squats (without weights).

I would suggest that you do this exercise 2-3 times per week to start, and perform 3 sets of 5-10 repetitions. Always start very conservatively with these because they are VERY demanding on your system.

As you go along, you will get a feel for how often you can do them and how much is too much. I can tell you from experience that no other exercise will give you the benefits that the Hindu squat will.

They will help everything from weight control to health enhancement. You may even find they are helpful if you have a problem with regularity because again, they affect the “parasympathetic nervous system” which controls the bowels.

or even a dumbbell or barbell plate held in your hands. There are lots of variations of the basic squat movement that you can explore but start with the simple basic squat first and master that.

Then you can improvise and be as creative as you want with how often you do them, how many repetitions, ect. You can even combine them with other exercises in a circuit type routine because they will make ANY exercise routine more demanding and effective.

Add squats in some form to your exercise routine and you will be amazed at the benefits you will get from this simple and ancient exercise!

Lee Haney

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OK…on a more relaxing note…

This weeks musical clip features Lea Salonga in a medley of songs”

“Something Wonderful” and “Being Alive”

Lea Salonga is a Filipina singer that I just discovered. Honestly, I had not heard of her before, but I am absolutely blown away by her beauty and artistic talent!

We are well into March, and although spring is right around the corner,
somebody forgot to tell mother nature! I can’t wait for the warmer weather,
and it’s taking it’s time getting here.

My oldest nephew Andrew is enjoying being a new father. He says that it
hasn’t completely hit him yet, but he seems to be fitting comfortably into
this new role, and really excited about his new son “Tyler James!”

Two new babies were added to the family this winter and will be
experiencing their first Easter Sunday. Easter comes early this year, and
I’m hoping that the weather is at least somewhat mild so that we can enjoy
the holiday.

They are still way too young for their first “Easter egg hunt,” but I
am a bit excited for them as Easter was so very special for me, and I
believe will be for them when they are a bit older.

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They say stress is a killer…which is literally true, but nobody ever
explains why. Until you understand what it’s really about, you can’t
effectively control it, much less eliminate it.

So here’s my “two cents” on stress…

Your autonomic nervous system is divided into two branches, the
“sympathetic” branch which essentially gets you ready to deal with
crisis and emergencies by preparing you for “fight or flight.” This is
really useful in life threatening situation, but not otherwise.

The other branch is called the “parasympathetic.” It deals with
digestion, elimination, and restoring your energy. It’s engaged while you
are at rest and there is no danger or crisis to react to.

The sympathetic nervous system evolved when early humans were subject to
constant danger in their environment from attacks by wild animals. In
modern life we are not subject to the same danger, but react as if we were.

We respond to emotional stress that triggers the same reactions from our
sympathetic nervous system. Our body reacts by producing cortisol which is
a stress hormone, and also raises blood sugar to provide energy for
whatever our emergency requires.

When we are stressed we spend way too much time in “sympathetic” mode,
and this lays the foundation for chronic illness. Since our body’s response
to stress is hard wired by evolution, we need to change how we perceive and
react to various situations.

I’ve always believed the best way to solve problems is the way that
requires the least effort, because you are more likely to follow through
and do it. You have heard about relaxation tapes, and so now I will share
with you what I think are the best ones.

I have used these products for over 20 years. They are top quality and they
work IF you use them. This audio technology is called HPP which stands for
hypno peripheral processing.” It is a gentle “sensory overload”
technology, and it’s fun to use!

Created by Dr. Lloyd Glauberman Ph.D. this sound technology uses the
therapeutic patterns of famous psychotherapist Milton Erikson, and are
scripted stories that are relaxing and contain suggestions for your
subconscious mind.

What these suggestions do is to change your “internal dialogue” so that
you don’t respond to potentially stressful situations the way you normally
do. It’s like getting new programming so that you react much more calmly
and logically to the same situations that “used” to stress you out.

There is a video on the page by Dr. Glauberman explaining the principle
behind HPP. It is a gentle “sensory overload” system that is relaxing
and effortless to use.

There are digital versions of these programs that can be instantly
downloaded eliminating the need for shipping.

There are also HPP products covering all kinds of issues, so explore the
site and check them out!

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While on the subject of how to relax, I want to share with you one of my
favorite musical artists. Her name is Basia, and she is a Polish lady who
sings in a style that’s best described as Brazilian Jazz!

She has such a beautiful voice and unique style. She is an example of a
real international pop star!

She was in her heyday in the 1980′s and kind of faded from sight. I think
she became a mother a that time and was focused on that role, but
resurfaced in 2011. She is currently working on a new CD, and presumably
after that she will resume touring.

If you ever get the chance to see one of her shows, don’t miss it!

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There’s always hope for a better tomorrow! That’s something I sometimes
forget myself, and daily experiences remind me of. I remember something
that happened years ago in regards to the mother of a good friend.

My friend Tom’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and got
progressively worse until the point where they had to carry her from room
to room, as she was permanently in a fetal position.

She did not remember anything, nor recognize anyone. I felt bad for Tom as
he had just recently lost his father and now his mom was so seriously ill.
Then one day I was at the gym and noticed this older woman at the counter.

She was just leaving and got into her car and drove away. Since I did not
recognize her, I asked Tom who she was. He replied that it was his mom, and
then proceeded to tell me how this apparent miracle occurred.

She had taken a turn for the worse and was rushed to the hospital where
when examined one of the doctors suspected that she did not have
Alzheimer’s, but rather another medical condition which could be treated
successfully.

The necessary treatment was given and she actually recovered completely!
She was now able to recognize her family, remember things, and actually was
able to resume driving her car! This to me is proof positive that miracles
do happen.

So NEVER give up. You never know when fate can turn in your favor and
things will work out for you. In many ways we create our own reality. Stay
positive and focus on the joy in life!

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“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will
turn.”
~Harriet Stowe~